Learning to be a Tica

Hello friends and family! I miss you all. It seems like it was a long time ago that I left the states, even though I have only been down here a week and half. I've been learning to be a "Tica" as my host family says. Tica is the Costa Rican word here for a local. My host family has been teaching me all sorts of Spanish and specifically Costa Rican words. We have so much fun...usually laughing at the round-a-bout ways I try to say what I am thinking in Spanish. Communicating has been getting a little easier though, praise God! And I have another family type unit here with the intern group. They're so fun! Its cool to see how we were all uniquely drawn to serving with eMi this year and I've loved hearing their testimonies about how they came to know Christ and God's love. Last weekend one of the interns supporters paid for us to go on a ziplining adventure in the jungle. It was so awesome to be blessed with that gift to experience some of the beautiful nature I am surrounded by here. Also, I really love serving here in the eMi office. This past week I have been working on a medical clinic project based in Honduras, and I've been communicating with another architect from the states, Gloria. Gloria, happen to be one of the people who told me about eMi when she was at Penn State for school. It's funny how things have come full circle now! Its been so cool to see God's provision in this whole process and I am so happy to be a part of this missions organization for the summer. This coming week I will be leaving Atenas for my project trip. A team of architects and I are going to meet up with a ministry in San Jose and design a church for them. Next week will be jam packed with lots of travel and work and Spanish! Please pray that the work we need done will get accomplished by God's grace and that the church we are designing will be a place where God is glorified and people are drawn into a relationship with him. Also pray for our safety and health while we are away. Thank you so much for you support. I am so grateful for this time to serve and learn. I'll be back in touch in a week! Adios!

Things are different in the jungle

Yep, I'm not in central PA anymore. Costa Rica is such a different environment all around. My first day of work at eMi I saw an iguana sun bathing! And there thousands of different kinds of birds that fill the trees with sounds. It's beautiful to see just the overwhelming quantity and diversity of life here. God's creation is awesome! I also feel so out of context as far as my communication skills go. So so many Spanish mistakes! Prayers for that would be much appreciated. My host family is so sweet and understanding with my difficulties communicating with them, but I really do want to get better at speaking the language here and long term. The past few days I've been settling into the office, getting to know the staff and other interns and the projects we are working on here. It's been great and I already feel like my two month commitment will be too short. I feel so blessed to be here is what I told my host mom this morning, although it sounded something like this, "Me siento muy bendecida para estar aqui!" Thank you supporters for making this possible. Soon I will be meeting up with the ministry we are designing a church for on our project trip. Looking forward to connecting with the people we are working for. I will write again with some details. As they say here in Costa Rica, "Pura Vida!"

going, going, gone!

Today is the day! I'm currently on my way to Costa Rica to serve with Engineering Ministries International and I couldn't be more excited! I am looking forward to meeting up with the team I've been emailing for weeks. I'm looking forward to beginning our design work on a church in San Jose. And most of all I am looking forward to serving others with my skills as an architecture student. Although as I think about all that I am excited for, what I have been learning through this whole process of preparation is that this trip is not about me. My time with EMI is about being obedient to God's call and glorifying him in all sorts of capacities. I am learning more and more about what it means to be dependent on God. Its been a humbling and encouraging time. I am able to serve with EMI by nothing of my own merit or earning, but by the grace of God and the generosity of my loving community. Thank you so much to all those who are praying for me, supporting me financially, driving me places and housing me! I am so grateful for all your help in this process. 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 says, "'For God, who said, "Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." And that is my prayer for these next two months, that the architectural work we do will reflects the awesomeness of God, for I know I am insufficient for the task at hand. And I hope you'll join me in praying for safe travels today and for God to be glorified in our serve. Love you friends and family and I'll be in touch next time the internet is available!